The Enemy Within

​By Liza O’ConnorBook3

BLURBMAC, the computer that controls the SkyRyder Corp discovers that soldiers within its ranks wish to stop its Breeding Project to make superior flyers. When a great many of these special talents are murdered over a two-week span, MAC quickly gathers the remaining assets, modifies their fingerprints and alters their looks, then sends them to the last place in the world that anyone would look for them.Welcome to Fort Dismal, Alaska, The absolute worst fort in the Americas.

EXCERPTEliza noticed everyone was gathering up blankets. Eliza grabbed one as well and followed Angie. Once they were outside, she whispered, “Where are we going?”Angie stared at her. “You weren’t listening, were you? No wonder you look so calm.”Eliza noticed the other girls looked tense with a mixture of excitement and terror in their faces. Evidently, Captain Dune saw the same and pointed to Eliza. “Now, girls. Look at Eliza’s calm demeanor. Rally your own courage and commitment to your duty.”When the captain turned around, Eliza repeated her question, but Angie wouldn’t reply, evidently annoyed Eliza had received praise she did not deserve.She sighed in exasperation at her silent friend. “Never mind, I’ll figure it out myself.”The moment a squad of Ryders landed in the field, the girls’ nervous titters increased, letting Eliza know the men were the object of this field trip. As they approached, Angie grew pale, and if not for Eliza’s quick reflexes, Angie might have fallen into a faint. Eliza held onto her friend until she recovered.Thus, when the men approached and lined up before the girls, Eliza had yet to figure out their purpose. Her eyes went to the myriad of badges on the leader’s fly suit like a crow to gewgaws. She had never seen so many badges of honor assembled on one broad chest in her life. She could recognize several Eagles for Valor in Combat and five Medals of Honor for Outstanding Feats of Bravery, but there were others she’d never seen before.She smiled as the soldier approached. Now she could see the medals better. To her surprise and delight, she realized his direction was not to Captain Dune but rather herself. Her attention moved from his medals to his face, and she liked the sparkle of amusement in his eyes. When his rough calloused hand took hers, she felt sparks of electricity run up her arm and tickle her loins. She did not resist as he led her away.She glanced back at her captain to ensure she wasn’t breaking a rule going off with this most interesting soldier, but Captain Dune wasn’t paying her any mind at all. Her focus was on Rosemary, who had burst into tears and refused to approach the giant soldier who stood before her.“I’m Colonel Polanski,” her soldier declared. “Don’t worry about your friends, my men have orders to be on their best behaviors. They may look rough, but they’ll be gentle as lambs.”She frowned. “I just don’t understand why everyone is so upset.” She returned her focus on him and smiled. “Will you tell me how you earned all your badges?”The colonel laughed and stroked her hair. “That would take more time than we are allotted.”“Oh.” She really wished she knew what their assignment was. “How much time are we allotted?”“An hour, two if needed.” He winked. “But I doubt we’ll need so much time.”“But can we not take it just the same? For in two hours I believe you can tell me about most of your metals.”After walking a thousand feet away from the group to a place of relative privacy, the colonel removed the blanket from Eliza’s hands and spread it out. Eliza helped him and then sat down on the thick wool and smiled at him as he removed his boots and sat beside her.Knowing how her own feet ached from walking in boots, she lifted his feet and placed them in her lap for a massage. “Can you not tell me one story?”The colonel laughed. “If it will help you along, I’ll certainly do so.”Eliza didn’t understand what he meant by “help her along,” but since he had agreed to tell her a story, she didn’t care.She liked massaging his feet, for his toes constantly tweaked her nipples through her dress, and every time it sent delicious shivers down to her loins.When he finished his story, he slid his feet to each side of her, and with his strong arms, he pulled her forward until she was pressed against his groin with her legs curled around him. She was now eye-level to his chest of badges. She touched one of the medals and then pulled back. “May I touch them?” Adults frequently scolded her for touching things she shouldn’t.The colonel snorted softly as if amused. “You may touch whatever you like.”Eliza discovered he had a price to touching his badges. Whenever she touched him, he touched her in return, except his touches were under the skirt of her dress. They burned into her skin and set flames through her entire body. It left her so faint of breath she could barely speak to ask what another badge was for. Each time he’d answer, he’d remove another piece of clothing from her body until all that she wore was the bottoms to her polypros.If he had asked her to remove them, she would have gladly done so. She was completely mesmerized by his touch. But he did not. Instead he pulled a dangerous-looking knife from his pocket.“Trust me,” he said and then cut away the cloth between her legs. After returning his knife into his pocket, he slipped his hand between her legs and with amazing tenderness brought her pleasure beyond anything she had thought possible. She sank back upon the blanket and sighed with happiness.“Can you sit up?” the colonel asked, his voice teasing with amusement.“No, I’m melted.”Suddenly, he was above her, straddling her. “Well, allow me to assist you then.” He placed her hands on the zipper of his fly suit.She looked up at him in confusion. “What do you want me to do?”“Undress me.”Eliza smiled and sat up. “I will try.”With his warm hands guiding her, she undressed him without a problem. Once naked, her focus went directly to his manhood. She knew it was supposed to fit inside her, but honestly, she didn’t see how that was possible. When she stroked it, a fire burned inside her, but also confounded her.“You look puzzled,” he teased.“I don’t see how anything so big can fit inside me.”“Oh, it can, my sweet.”D2DLinks for many booksellers

About the AuthorLiza O’Connor lives in Denville, NJ with her dog Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, skydive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet throughout her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels.